Thursday, December 27, 2012

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday (or, better yet, that you're still enjoying your holiday.)

I signed off the blog for a couple days to celebrate at Christmas at my parents' house. Very relaxing with great food, cheerful holiday decor, many trips to the beach to wear out Hektor, followed by some glorious puppy cuddling time. Hektor turned one yesterday, so we did a dual Christmas/Birthday celebration. He got a birthday veal bone and a stocking full of tennis balls-- all of which he promptly tore to pieces in under 10 minutes. He's a spirited one, that Hektor.

But, alas, now it's back to the grind! January is typically a dismal month for me, but I think this year might be different. I have a lot of exciting projects coming up in 2013. One of which is to finally complete Ryan's study!

I've been talking about Ryan's study since I started the blog back in May. Since it's the space Ryan uses the most, we initially thought it would be a priority. After adopting Hektor, we (wisely) decided to hold off on decorating the study until we were out of the woods on house training. Oh man, am I glad we did. Ryan's poor Dash & Albert rug has seen it all. It's served us well, but Step 1 will be to kick it to the curb-- with a BIG sign taped reading, "House Training Victim. Take At Your Own Risk" taped to the front to dissuade bargain-seeking Brooklynites.

Step 2 is to pick a replacement rug that can be easily cleaned. While Hektor shows basic mastery of the "do your business outside" concept, he occasionally backslides. And with a dog of any age, there's always the risk of an upset stomach. Enter Flor tiles! Flor has been around for a while, but only since becoming a dog owner have I truly appreciated their offerings.

Flor's products are treated nylon (like an industrial carpet), but in colors and patterns you'd expect to find only in wool or cotton rugs. As the name suggests, their products are sold in "tiles" that attach to each other on the bottom with a patented Flor sticker. So if Hektor does have an accident, we can either wipe it down with a Clorox wipe or, for more serious accidents, detach the one victimized tile and hose it down in the sink or shower. If he does irrevocable damage, like chewing, the one tile can be replaced for about $14 (rather than replacing the whole carpet.) A lot of people complain that the carpets feel industrial under bare feet. They are synthetic fabric, so no, it doesn't feel like walking on a flokati. But both Ryan and I did the barefoot test and were comfortable with the way it felt.

The one weakness of Flor products is that they cannot be used over existing carpet (like wall-to-wall carpet) or any kind of padded floor. The cushioning causes the stickers to strain, which will separate the tiles. I learned this recently when considering them for another project (a super exciting project I'm keeping under wraps for now, but hope to reveal soon!)

That's enough chit-chat. Let's get into some images! Here's what I'm thinking for Ryan's study:

Ryan already owns the Dash & Albert Saranac pillow, the Brooklyn Bridge print (part of my Art.com winnings!) and a Karlstad sofa from Ikea. He bought the sofa when he moved to Brooklyn in the Isunda Gray. While the slipcover is a smidge rough in texture, it served us well. That is until a teething Hektor discovered a loose thread and unraveled a good chunk out of the fabric playing tug-of-war with the sofa arm. We're planning to replace it with a natural linen slipcover from Bemz, a Swedish company that makes slipcovers specifically for Ikea furniture in a variety of fabrics from European textile mills. The fabrics are much higher quality than Ikea, but still reasonably priced (unless you spring for the designer fabrics, like Marimekko, which is tempting.)

The mid-century modern inspired legs were purchased unfinished for $12 each from tablelegs.com. I sanded, stained them and screwed them into holes made for the Ikea legs. Easiest Ikea hack in history.

The blue is a Farrow & Ball color I fell in love with when I saw it on Emily Henderson's Instagram feed. We may or may not paint an accent wall behind the sofa. Yes, it would look cool-- especially with the Easy Chair Flor tiles in Burnt Umber. But is it necessary? Definitely not. We shall see what happens.

At the moment, more pressing decisions are begging to be made. For example:

Should Ryan hold out for his dream of installing recessed lighting over the study? (He has great recessed lighting on one half of the downstairs, but mysteriously, only over the bedroom half. Over the study half-- nada.) Or give it up and just buy a floor lamp already?

Friday, December 21, 2012

I always thought there should be a dedicated word for the strange phenomenon I think most of us experience: you hear a word or phrase for the first time, then suddenly you find yourself hearing it everywhere. I can even remember the first time I experience that phenomenon-- the word, "scaffolding" when I was in the third grade. (How's that for true New Yorker cred?)

Lately, I've been having the same experience with design trends. I'll see something unusual or unfamiliar and think, "that's a cool, unique idea." Then, BAM. It's everywhere. And I mean, everywhere I look. In every shelter magazine, every design blog, every time I log in to Pinterest-- to the point that it starts seeping into my subconscious and popping up in dreams.

The latest design trend to nest deep in my brain is the Juju hat. Juju hats are large, feathered, circular hats traditionally worn by village chiefs and "prominent members of society" in Cameroon. Now they seem to staging a second act as wall decor in homes from Australia to Canada.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

There was a time when I just didn't get C tables (also referred to as laptop tables). The C-shape formed by their legs struck me as awkward and I thought it would be intrusive to have a table top jutting onto your sofa. I think my biggest objection is that a side table is an opportunity to have fun; to add an interesting accent-- hence the term, accent table. C Tables looked too strictly functional to me, so I never gave them much thought.

Until this happened...

It's an interesting challenge trying to blog on a laptop with a 22-lb ball of fur occupying prime lap real estate. Hektor is half beagle/half pug, but the lap dog instinct runs strong in this one. The second I sit down to blog, he sprints to the couch and plops himself down for a lap nap.

Whenever I'm tempted to remove him from my lap in frustration so that I can get some work done, I remember the first night we went out to dinner after adopting him. We chose a sidewalk cafe where he could sit under the table while we ate. By sheer coincidence, a couple we knew from our doggie obedience class was sitting at the table next to us with their Shiba Inu, who was the same age as Hektor. While Hektor spent the entire evening trying to jump up into my lap, the very aloof Shiba Inu couldn't have been less interested in whatever her humans were doing.

When I, embarrassed by Hektor's antics, apologized to the waitress and couple next to us, the woman looked at us with the most poignantly earnest look and said, "Does he really love you so much that he wants to be in your lap all the time?" Message received! I suppose I'd formerly assumed all dogs were like Hektor. But her comment made me realize how lucky we are to have a sweet and affectionate puppy who wants nothing more than to be close to us.

So clearly an alternate solution was in order. That was when I saw the beauty of the C table. Not for dog-owners alone, this table also works well for anyone with cuddling cats or an older laptop model with a battery that heats to scalding in .01 seconds. Although the surface area is typically small, you could also use it as a modern version of the TV tray table for movie nights at home.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

It seems every blog, every newspaper, every magazine has "Gift Ideas for the Holidays".....Well, I have to say, I enjoy seeing the varied suggestions. Time Out NY has some skewed for a younger crowd, a hip crowd. My favorite was a mozzarella making class at Murray's Cheese in New York's Greenwich Village. Sadly, when I signed up Alex and Husband/Dad the classes were all full. I know they would have enjoyed some "cheesy" father daughter quality time. I was looking forward to using lots 'o fromage puns on the gift tags! Darn.

I am always delighted with the British Financial Times magazine "How To Spend It" ideas from Technopolis (Yes, guilty! I LOVE tech gadgets. I have used great restraint and not bought myself an IPAD mini because I don't NEED it.)

So, with the same enthusiasm I have for combing the media for great gift ideas here are a few ideas culled from my research. I hope you find some inspiration or ideas for your own gift list. Frankly, I wouldn't be at all unhappy with any one these gifts!

Oh, let me add, I really believe that gifts should be useful, edible, desirable or personal and not just a gift purchased because one feels obligated. Even if you ARE obligated put some effort into it just to let the recipient know how clever you really are!

Erbaviva Children's Sunscreen and Organic Baby Lip & Cheek Balm is great for a new baby and Mom, making it a two-fer! The sunscreen is all natural with the highest SPF (30) possible without using synthetic ingredients. The Lip and Cheek Balm is good for baby's hands and face with calendula and chamomile.

BDG's Magic Testing Gloves "keep your fingers toasty (and texty)." The fingertips have a special conductive fingertips for use with touchscreens. As a one size fits all, these gloves work for texting teens to adult Blackberry fanatics.

I read about the dockBoss Air in the New York Times. If someone you know has a the IPhone 5 with the new smaller Lightening connector, then music docks with the old connectors won't work. This little device can put that old sound dock back into action wirelessly with its Bluetooth receiver that connects onto the old Apple 30-pin connector. You can pair it with any devices with Bluetooth. Pretty nifty!

Who doesn't love a delicious freshly baked croissant? Usually, one has to plan to purchase the day before or go out into the cold winter morning to forage for these treats. What could be better for any host than to have ready made frozen croissants in the freezer, thawing them the night before and "Voila!", family and guests are following their noses to the kitchen. These William and Sonoma croissants will cause even the sleepiest head to get out of bed. (Full disclosure: My friend Morrie Breyer, Interior Designer Extraordinaire and one of the most thoughtful original gift givers ever, sent me these. The croissants are delicious, easy to bake and fit in with my gift giving credo.

And for the person who is always losing things, or as we like to say in our family, "misplaced temporarily" QR decals and luggage tags. The finder, (and yes, there are still honest people in the world who love to return lost items to their owners) "can scan the QR code or enter the unique URL on the decal or tag to access the contact information supplied by you and stored safely online, making it easy for your item to be returned." Sounds good to me and would suit a lot of people if they have a tech-y side.

Time for an exciting announcement. Ready? My very own mother and co-author of this blog is a weekly winner in Time Out and Samsung's Photo Contest, "Share Your Now: New York vs. London." Her submission of the Central Park reservoir on a foggy morning was one of five photos selected!

Photography by Sharon Korsgaard Kalita

See her winning submission on the Time Out New York website, along with the other this week's winners here.

As a weekly winner, my mom will receive a Samsung Galaxy camera-- a very nifty new design that integrates 3G/4G and WiFi capability. It also works with the Android platform. Pretty much a blogger's dream-come-true.

But, wait, it might get even better. Three finalists will be picked from among the weekly winners to win a trip for 2 to London! After the trip, Time Out will publish one photo from each of the finalists' trips to London on the cover of Time Out New York. Fingers crossed! I could sure use an all-expense-paid trip to London (Sorry, Dad. You can go on the next trip she wins.)

The concept behind the contest is pretty cool. It's a face-off of sorts between New York and London-- Time Out London is running a parallel contest, with finalists receiving a trip to New York. So it's essentially an opportunity for the notoriously proud denizens on each metropolis to show off their city. (And to visually demonstrate why it's far superior to its cousin across the pond, naturally.)

Last week David Pogue of the New York Times reviewed the new Google Map for the iPhone. "It's free, fast and fantastic." says Pogue. Sounds great and I am ready to download it to my iPhone. But it got me thinking, what would a map for good design look like? Is it possible to navigate in the direction of good taste tailored to one's personality, to start off on the road to a beautiful abode, to chart a path toward comfortable living? I began to ponder a design cartograph to help find solid footing on the route to making a house a home:

How do others find their way? Do constraints of time and budget help or hinder the design process? Is a personal home not even on the radar for some? Is looking good without concern for comfort more important. Would love to hear from readers on what navigational tools they rely upon to create a happy home.

Monday, December 17, 2012

The weather in New York has been fairly miserable of late. Cold, damp and dreary. But mostly damp. I don't mind cold around Christmas time, but if I'm going to be bundled up indoors, I'd infinitely prefer to see snow outside my window than rain.

The Inspiration

That's why I'm taking a mental vacation to a cozy ski lodge. Something modern, but with decor that reflects the winter spirit of a ski destination. Do I ski? I sure don't. But I excel at curling up in front of a fire in my PJs and drinking hot chocolate. What better place to hone my hibernation skills than this place in the Alps?

For me, this room walks the perfect line between contemporary and rustic. The blue and grey cut the rustic color palette and the contemporary lines of the furniture keep the "cabin chic" element in check.

The Springbok hide pillows and cubes definitely make a statement. I have to admit they are really striking. While I'm not anti-hide decor, after seeing this adorable photo of a Springbok, I'm not sure I would want 13 of their hides in my living room. I might, however, want one for a backyard pet.

If you're crazy about Springbok decor, Mecox Gardens carries ottomans and throw pillows can be purchased on ebay. (As far as I can tell from some light internet research, Springbok are quite common in certain parts of Africa, i.e. they not endangered.)

The Look

For The Look, I took a slightly more animal-friendly approach. The notable exception is the inclusion of sheepskins. The way the sheepskins were clustered around the coffee table struck me as smart and creative, so I didn't want to cut them out altogether. (For a completely animal-friendly look, swap in a flokati for a sheepskin. Flokatis are woven from sheared sheep's wool.)

If you're looking for art with a winter theme, I love Art.com's collection of vintage ski photography. Especially the old ads for ski wear-- so charmingly retro. (I used Art.com strategy #3 to find these ski photos.)

As an apartment dweller, I'm excited about the strides made towards attractive ethanol fireplaces. Ethanol (and gel fuel) fireplaces produce odorless and smokeless flames. Best of all, they require no venting and often mount right onto the wall. Hooray! Cozy fireplaces for everyone! While not exactly cheap, they're a steal compared to the cost of installing a gas or woodburning fireplace.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Every December, Pantone announces the "Color of the Year" for the upcoming calendar year. The Color of the Year for 2013 is...drum roll, please...Emerald (17-5641)!

I tend to associate emerald green with more traditional interiors-- I picture thick velvet drapes or malachite objet d'art. But after some light internet browsing, I'm satisfied that the official color of 2013 can be worked into a modern home.

Here are a few examples of interiors with a punch of emerald that still feel contemporary:

If you're looking to add some emerald to your home, try one of these! (But not the Koen Lybaert painting, please-- I've asked Santa to earmark it for me. Or maybe Saatchi Online would consider a promotional exchange where I wear it like a sandwich board for a week with saatchionline.com stamped on my forehead?):

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

I'm a big fan of Persian rugs in modern interiors, especially kilims. (Kilim just means a flat-woven rug from any of the areas lumped in as "Persian" in the context of rugs-- Turkey, Kurdistan, etc. And flatwoven means dog-friendly(ish)!)

One of my favorite design trends of 2012 was the use of kilims in kitchens and dining rooms. The utilitarian and often spare nature of kitchen and dining rooms gets right to the heart of the form-meets-function meets fun-colors-and-wild-pattern-just-because combination that's so dear to my heart.

For your viewing pleasure, I've scoured the internet for a few of my favorite examples of kilims in kitchens and dining rooms. Enjoy!

P.S. If anyone has any leads for where I could find a large, reasonably priced kilim, shoot me an email! I'm on the hunt for 8'x10' or larger for Ryan's office. Something along the lines of this little number.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Friday afternoon and it's finally here. Yes, the weekend. But also Part II of the long-procrastinated coverage of the ceramics portion of Toronto's One of a Kind Show. Rejoice, readers.

As previously disclosed, I went a little ceramics happy at the One of a Kind show last weekend. But I maintain my pottery spree was warranted in light of the talent and stylistic diversity on display. (Let's hope American Express sees it that way too...)

As I mentioned in my post Holiday Decor, Part I, my goal for this holiday season is to use flowers and things from nature for my table settings and decor. One simple material that is inexpensive and useful for myriad applications is burlap. It is easily purchased at a nursery, a craft store or online.

Here are a few photographs demonstrating how I have integrated burlap into the holiday decor scheme in my own home:

Image Source: Photography by Sharon Korsgaard Kalita

In a table setting, as a tablecloth or runner;

Cut into strips and tied into wreaths or used as a bow for packages;

To wrap the pots of amaryllis flowering bulbs, paper white narcissi or other holiday plants. (Green lanterns from Pier 1.)

A few of my favorite pieces from the One of a Kind Show in the furniture and woodworking category. Aren't those end tables beautiful (top left)? I also feel hard for the industrial furniture (bottom left). With antler accents, in true Canadian style!

Last installment of my One of a Kind Show coverage tomorrow-- the long-awaited Ceramics, Part II.